There was much on the line when President Carrie Carrier and Vice President Alisa Land Hill moderated the April 12 Zoom meeting of the Topanga Canyon Town Council (TCTC). Telecoms A really hot issue is the Internet and cell phone service. “This month we are looking to tackle several vexing issues, including cell service in the Canyon,� Carrier wrote in the meeting agenda. “We will get an update from the CPUC on the potential changes that are currently being considered by regulators through the formal hearing process to require cell phone companies to provide higher quality and more reliable service across the state. This is a hot-button issue affecting people across California. If we and our legislators do not speak up (loudly), nothing will change.� Carrier wrote that “input from the public is still being sought on various aspects of this issue to ensure that any changes made will truly address the shortcomings that so many of us are experiencing in the canyon and beyond.� There is an upcoming Public Participation Hearing being held by the CPUC to gather additional feedback from the public on May 3. Topangans are strongly encouraged to attend and submit comments on “Service Quality and Eligible Telecommunications Carriers (ETCs).� For more information or to submit comments, go to: cpuc.ca.gov/industries-and-topics/internet-and-phone/service-quality-and-etc CPUC Comments Asia Powell of the California Public Utilities Commission spoke about the current cell phone situation. “Comments made at public participation hearings are logged and discussed; we encourage you to make your comments on the record with a docket card for the meeting with the case number,� Powell said. “We already have 1,300 comments; we want to hear from all of you as well.� Powell said the CPUC is intending to take a look at cell and internet service, VOIP services and extend the same service quality to broadband. “It’s challenging,� she said. “Changes will be met with resistance by the carriers about the FCC requirements. Our legal team expects that the Telecoms will fight the challenge.� Topangans and Cell Service Topangans weighed in on the subject of cell phone coverage in the Canyon. Jaspreet Katrib, who is on the board of the TCTC, said they have lived in Topanga for three years. She told a harrowing story about her friend who was in a serious car accident on Old Canyon and was unable to call 911 for help. “In the case of an accident, local residents called 911, and she got help from people who knew her and they called for help from Old Canyon,� Katrib said. “It goes to show you that this is such an important issue. We can’t make a cell phone call within 50 feet of my house, especially since we are entering fire season. It is frustrating that we have cell service in the canyon and we can’t even make a Wi-Fi call. It is more and more difficult to be in love with Topanga and continue to live here.� Create a “Hot Spot� James Grasso of TCEP suggested that everyone in the Canyon should take charge and create a hot spot at their house. “If you don’t have service at your house, you can install a microcell or hot spot around your property,� Grasso said. “All the big providers can install one; plug it in and you will have a microcell at your home.� Others remembered Topanga before cell phones. “I moved to the Canyon in 1972, before cell phones,� said Dorothy Reik, President of the Progressive Democrats of the Santa Monica Mountains. “Living in this canyon, you give up certain things. I treasure the few minutes I’m not available. Make up your mind; do you want to live in Topanga or have 24/7 cell service? There are hills, places where a cell phone will not go through. I wouldn’t even think about using my phone at my house. Get a generator, be more chill and enjoy the beauty of living in Topanga.� Reik’s comments were met with a positive response. “We forget the time we didn’t have cell service,� Carrier said. “Interesting perspective.� Still others were sanguine about the lack of cell phone service. “When I first moved to the Canyon, we were happy to get a dial tone,� Neil Shaw quipped. Water Restrictions & Drought Status Update “The rains were a relief but our water challenges are far from over,� said William Johnson of the L.A. Public Water Works, District 29. “While California is out of extreme drought conditions and surface water is healthy, one good season of rain does not relieve the years of drought and the groundwater resources are still unfilled. The Colorado River is essential to provide for the district. Residential users have done a great job with conservation. Watering restrictions have been relaxed, conservation is a way of life. “In Topanga, we are getting ready to kick off the Owen Tank Site Project to provide a bigger tank at the site,� Johnson said. “We just finished the Malibu Branch Feeder project with water coming from PCH and pumped up to Topanga.� For more information, go to Public Works Los Angeles County at dpw.lacounty.gov Fire Department Briefing Chief Drew Smith provided an update on fire. “In March, we had one fire, at the 1200 block of Colina, when a man set fire to a patio cover,� he said. “Law and fire worked together and we cooperated with West Valley CHP.� Additionally, Smith reported that in March there were 20 medical calls; one hazardous call at Robinson Road where a tree pulled down wires; one service call ;and 10 good intention calls. “We will get an increase in snake calls,� he said. Chief Smith also talked about cell phone coverage in the Canyon. “It is highly important to fire that we have good cell phone coverage,� he said. “It significantly enhances information relay and response. We have a vested interest with cell service, not having emergency response…generally, reporting is 7-15 minutes depending on the infrastructure and in how fast fires get reported.� Announcements: Please log in your brush clearance efforts and other wildfire risk-reduction activities and submit them to the Firewise Activity Reporting page to ensure that our community remains “Firewise� and that residents continue to be eligible for the annual insurance discount. For a list of Firewise activities: please visit www.defensiblespace.org, and www.ntcfsc.org. Contacts: • Supervisor Lindsey Horvath—Contact Tessa Charnofsky, Acting District Director at TCharnofsky@bos.lacounty.gov • Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin—Contact Nancy Frawley, Deputy District Director at Nancy.Frawley@asm.ca.gov • State Senator Ben Allen—Contact Davis Han, District Representative at Davis.Han@sen.ca.gov • Congressman Brad Sherman—Contact Taleen Keuroghlian, Field Representative at Taleen.Keuroghlianca@mail.house.gov Topanga Canyon Town Council—Formed in 1977 in response to needs unique to the mountain community, residents created the TCTC to serve as a liaison with Topanga’s official governing body, the Los Angeles County Supervisor’s Office. topangatowncouncil.org; email: contact@topangatowncouncil.org or call (310) 455-3001.